


A Little Fall of Rain

by Fleurete



Category: Fire Emblem: If | Fire Emblem: Fates
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Gen, Implied/Referenced Domestic Violence, M/M, Moving on and growing up
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-06-04
Updated: 2016-06-04
Packaged: 2018-07-12 02:40:23
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 11,119
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7081588
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Fleurete/pseuds/Fleurete
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Leo is forced to uncover buried memories and hidden secrets, and through it all he is moored to warm skin and a cool touch.</p><p> </p><p>Or, a chance meeting marks the beginning of the most unforgettable year of Leo's life.</p>
            </blockquote>





	A Little Fall of Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Characterization here borrows somewhat from the Japanese version of the games. NA/EU and JP iterations of the same characters are not entirely dissimilar, but some aspects might make more sense if you have some familiarity with their JP counterparts. That being said, I've decided to use localized names because they're probably the ones most people know.

When he read Xander’s note on the kitchen counter earlier that morning telling him to take an umbrella, Leo thinks either (a) all the studying he’s done last night for his Latin quiz must have fried his brain or (b) Elise shouting about a spider in the bathroom distracted him. Because Leo could find no other explanation for why after helping a professor with her research, he is now on an almost deserted campus with the rain falling down in sheets and no umbrella in sight.

Rather than wait for the downpour to stop, Leo pulls his hood up and prepares to make the short trek to his house. His feet fall along a familiar path taken many times before and designed to avoid crowds of students that would have populated the streets on a nicer day. He soon ducks into a side street as he stops to take a little reprieve under a shop awning.

It takes a moment for Leo to register the long shadow on the cobblestone in front of him casted by dim lamplight. With a calm gaze but thrumming heart, he observes two figures made ill-defined by the rain, one blocking each entrance into the alley. A couple of crates are the only other things in the narrow street; they would not be much use in a fight if it came down to it.

For the second time that day, Leo curses his own carelessness.

The two figures close in on him and Leo gauges them and his chances—two men his age, both bigger than him. Even with limited hand-to-hand combat experience, he would have been able to take on one of them (thanks to the self-defence classes Xander had forced him to take ages ago). With two—Leo knows the odds aren’t in his favour.

In a show of surrender, he slowly raises his hands to either side. “I have nothing on my person. You are wasting your time here.”

The shorter of the men scoffs and says, “The youngest son of Nohr Corp. walking around piss-poor? You’ve got to be shitting me.”

Leo watches them warily, eyes tracking their every movement. He tries not to let his nerves show in his voice. “You heard me. Here.” He takes his time reaching behind him to take his wallet out of his back pocket, mind turning over possibilities. His escape routes are cut off, but if—

“For fuck’s sake, there’s nothing in here.” The taller man, apparently done flipping through the wallet, tosses it to the ground and leaves it to soak up the rain. Gesturing toward Leo, he demands, “Take off his coat.” His accomplice steps closer and _there—_

Leo takes the opportunity to deliver a swift kick to the man’s groin, sending him to the ground. The other man lets out a shout of surprise and Leo soon feels a sudden impact to his face, sending him reeling and hitting the wall. He braces himself for another hit and steps aside to avoid the incoming fist when the man is sent falling to the floor, passed out and limp.

Standing over his attackers is another man, his odd white hair a startling contrast to his filthy dark clothes. Strands of white are plastered to his face ( _is the eyepatch for show_?) but he pays it no mind as he puts a hand on Leo’s cheek, long fingers grazing the side of his face and eyes checking for serious injuries. Leo’s breath catches at the proximity because _really, hasn’t he heard of personal space_ when the stranger withdraws his hand and says, “Checks out. You’re lucky he didn’t hit very hard.” He stoops down and strips the two of their personal belongings. Leo is left leaning against the brick wall and clutching his head, watching the stranger scavenging everything from the two men except the clothes on their backs.

A few minutes later, the man stands and hands Leo his dripping wallet. Leo puts it back in his pocket and says, “Thank you for helping me. I would not have been able to fend them off had you not been here. If there is any way I can repay you…” He leaves his words hanging, the soreness in his jaw getting the better of him.

The straight line of the stranger’s mouth curves into a smirk and his eyes deliberately rove up and down the length of Leo’s body. “I can think of a hundred different ways that would be great for us both.”

Leo stiffens, hand pausing in its massaging of his jaw. He is proud of the fact that he manages to look up into the man’s eyes when he says, “Excuse me? I was being serious. I am in your debt.” Leo takes in the state of the man’s clothing, the grime under his nails and the numerous cuts and old bruises on his arms. Surely there is something—

But the man turns to leave. Before he turns the corner, Leo calls out, “Wait! I want to know your name.”

  
The man stops for a moment, and his voice is oddly clear in the rain. His steps then resume once more and he is lost to the deluge.

-

Xander had given him hell.

After making sure he was alright, a brief check-up and his attempts to calm down a crying Elise (“You can’t die on us, brother!”), Leo had to endure lectures about keeping safe and not wanting to upset his family (here Xander pointed out Camilla and Elise, but Leo recalled Xander’s own overreaction to seeing his bruised face). Leo’s mind drifted toward the end of Xander’s speech despite his best intentions, but snapped back into reality when Xander announced Leo was to get a bodyguard.

“Xander, I can take care of myself! I do not need someone watching over me every second of the day.”

Xander’s gaze across the table is even and unwavering. “I know you can, Leo. This is just an extra preventative measure to avoid any future incidents. You go to one of the most prolific colleges in the country, and even then the security there is lax. As part of one of the biggest businesses in the world, you need help to ensure that attempts to target you for any reason are crushed.”

Leo returns the gaze but he already feels his hold slipping. “What about you? Elise? Camilla?”

“The selection process for our security teams is already underway.” Xander raises a hand to rub at his temple and Leo is suddenly sympathetic. Leo has always been prepared to take control of the company should the need arise—especially after their father fell ill—but for as long as he can remember he has always hoped he wouldn’t need to. “This is not solely because of what happened yesterday; I have been meaning to do this since Camilla moved away years ago. After you were hurt, I had to take action.”

Leo looks down at the table when he realizes he has been playing with the hem of his shirt. When had that happened? Smoothing out his clothes, he returns his attention to Xander and makes less of a request and more of a demand. “I get to choose. I don’t want someone assigned to me.”

Xander nods, glad that Leo has come around. “As long as they pass the hiring process.”

And so begins the search for Leo’s personal security guard.

The next few days are dedicated to getting back into the grind of things, which means enduring Elise’s overprotectiveness and Camilla’s long video calls. Xander does not push him further, but he knows he has to get moving. Who can he possibly choose to stay at his side for hours at a time? He knows no one able or willing to take up the job, but the thought of hiring an unfamiliar face makes him uncomfortable. He needs someone he would feel safe and comfortable with, but beyond his family he can call up no names.

For the fifth time since that day, he remembers the name left for him in the alleyway.

Leo pulls the sheets closer to him as he puts an arm behind his head. He has been unable to forget the man who helped him, the stranger’s distinct appearance (his eyepatch soaked through from the rain, hair tangled and matted) being conjured up in his mind’s eye.

_Maybe…_

The idea was preposterous, surely. He doesn’t even know this man, has no idea if he is capable of defending another human or even willing to work for someone he just stumbled into. His qualifications are questionable at best and nonexistent at worst, and Leo isn’t sure that he wouldn’t find himself with a knife to his throat in the middle of the night.

Still… an opportunity to seek the man out is laid out before him, and Leo is hard pressed to let it go. If the stranger turns out to be completely incompetent or dangerous, then Leo would relinquish any thought of him without a fuss and turn to his brother for help. If he is proficient and willing, then all the better.

Turning off his light, Leo prepares to drift into sleep.

-

Leo spends a week tracking Niles down. He starts with a simple search of the area where he got assaulted, checking the storefronts and combing back streets. When it becomes clear that this is fruitless, Leo employs other measures. A search of public records is unproductive, as is a private investigator. No matter what Leo tries, it seems Niles is nowhere to be found and too slippery to get a hold of.

The sun beats down on Leo’s back as he exits a shelter tucked into a small building. He had gained no leads. Several passersby spare him glances as he sighs in frustration—days have passed and he is still no closer to finding Niles.

Hoisting his bag up higher on his shoulder, he begins walking down the street. He checks his phone. No new messages, no news. As his shoes strike the concrete, thoughts begin piling up in his head. _Maybe he is simply not in town? What if he left the city? How can someone behind leave no trace? Either he wants no one to find him, or…_

Wait. What on earth—

“Ah! My apologies, I didn’t mean to—“ He scrambles to (in a very dignified manner, thank you very much) step back and create some space between himself and the person he ran into.

“You should have just told me if you wanted to touch me so badly. I would’ve been more than happy to oblige.”

Leo ignores the comment, a wave of somewhat disappointed relief washing over him. After all the effort he went through to find Niles, to only walk into him in the middle of the street—

Niles looks down, his eye trained on Leo’s. His hood is pulled over his head and obscures most of his hair. “I hear you’ve been after me for quite a while. I figured I’d make your search easier for you.” A sardonic smile tugs at his lips. “So what can I do for the little prince?”

A woman bumps into Leo in a hurried rush to get to her destination, and Leo finally realizes that people have started to flood into the street. He gestures for Niles to follow as he heads to an empty alleyway reminiscent of the one they first met in. He doesn’t look back to see if he is being followed.

Once he steps foot into a deserted back street, Leo turns and starts speaking with the same courteous but firm voice that he uses with associates of the company. “I would like you to work for me, Niles. As part of security.”

Niles’s eyes widen slightly in a rare show of surprise before laughing. The sound reminds Leo of a barking dog. “You want to hire someone off the street? It seems our prince is more naïve than I could have ever thought him to be.”

Leo watches Niles, face impassive. “I am fully aware of my naivety. It might very well kill me, if you so wish it. Despite that, I want to take my chances. I want to offer you this opportunity, provided you desire to take it.”

Niles’s face twists into a sneer and derision colours his voice. He crosses his arms as he leans back against the wall, a few feet separating their bodies. “I’m flattered—the prince feels sorry for someone like me. Am I supposed to be grateful that you’ve chosen me as your latest charity case?”

The sound of people passing by filters into the alley. “This is not an act of pity. I do not hold illusions of grandeur, or envision myself being your savior or any other such ridiculous notion. You simply… intrigue me. I want to learn more about you. I believe our relationship would be a mutually beneficial one.”

The eye left uncovered closes for a few moments, and the contempt on Niles’s face shifts into something more amused. The small amount of light that seeps into the alley reflects off of the man’s ring.

“I think you may be the more interesting of the two of us.” Niles straightens up from his position against the wall, then bends in a mock flourishing bow.

“Pleased to make your acquaintance, sir.”

-

“Leo. I’m sure you don’t need me to tell you that this is not a good idea.”

Leo stills his tapping foot and calmly replies, “You do not. But this is my desire regardless of whether or not it is actually sensible.”

Xander picks up a photo from the table depicting on its glossy surface a Cheshire cat grin and a shock of white hair, combed out and cleaned of its prior muck.

After Niles accepted his proposition, Leo had conducted background and criminal checks as per hiring regulations. While what he found would have been more than enough to eliminate Niles’s chances of employment elsewhere, Leo was determined to make this work. Surprisingly, Niles was well-versed in the use of firearms as well as hand-to-hand combat. He would need training to be able to handle other aspects of the job, but Leo was strangely confident in Niles’s abilities.

All that was left was to convince Xander.

Fingers flip through numerous documents and another photo, this time of Niles in a fitted navy suit. With the proper attire and a long shower, Leo had to admit that Niles cut a fine figure. He hoped Niles’s more professional appearance (as professional as long shaggy hair and a cross-patterned eyepatch can be, anyway) would sway his brother.

Looking up from the papers in his hands, Xander looks at him as if he has sprouted wings and declared his intention to live on Mars. “He has countless marks on his criminal record and looks to have no formal training. It’s almost as if you just picked him off the street.” Xander is met with silence and his brows furrow, emphasizing his burgeoning frown lines. “You’re not joking? Why would you want to hire this man? The point of this is to keep you away from harm, not shove you into it.”

Leo taps out a rhythm on the table in a nervous gesture. He knows Xander is right. He has absolutely no good and rational reason to be so persistent about Niles, or to hire him. This is probably the worst idea he has ever come up with and is more than likely to blow up in his face, but he doesn’t want to turn back.

“I am sure, Xander. I understand your worries, but I trust him and will not budge on this issue.”

Xander massages his temple. Leo knows he is about to win.

“I want you to know that I usually have no doubts about your decisions. While I am extremely hesitant to acquiesce in this particular instance, I know you won’t rest until you have your way.” A tired smile tugs at Xander’s mouth. “Niles is on a probationary period at the moment, but can be brought on full-time if he does well. Please, just be careful. ”

Leo smiles, assured and satisfied. “Understood, brother.”

-

The first day of Niles’s official employment is… strange.

He arrives exactly at seven am, when Xander is out of the house and Elise is still asleep. His suit is pressed and free of wrinkles and his hair is tied into a small ponytail. The omnipresent eyepatch wraps around his head (Leo now thinks of it as a necessity rather than an accessory). When he is welcomed in, Leo wants to ask where he stayed the night or if he even has a proper home; the hiring forms listed no address. Leo doesn’t voice his thoughts, thinking them to be tactless. Instead, he offers Niles tea while he finishes getting dressed.

He tries to hurry and he finally manages to finish, but a cursory glance in a hallway mirror leaves him going back to find a pair of socks that actually match. By the time he he’s done, he hears voices floating up from downstairs. He takes the steps two at a time, because as much unwarranted trust as he has placed in Niles, he isn’t quite sure if he trusts the man enough to have his little sister alone in a room with him.

The first thing that hits him is Elise’s giggling, bright and cheerful. The second is Niles in his suit, flipping pancakes into the air and catching them with a cast-iron skillet, whistling a tune the whole time.

…What?

Elise catches sight of Leo from her perch on the barstool and directs her beaming smile at him. “Leo! Leo, come here! You’ve gotta watch this!” Without stopping his little show, Niles turns his head to wink at him.

Leo feels warmth creep up his neck after being caught staring so blatantly. He takes his hand off the banister and tries to will the surprise off his face. Elise is still laughing when Leo stands beside her. He says, “You’re already coerced Niles into making breakfast for you? This must be a new record.”

She pouts. Her swinging legs knock against the inside of the bar, creating a rhythmic knock. “Did not. I came down here starving and since you so helpfully left him with nothing to do, he offered to make some food. You didn’t tell me your bodyguard was also a chef!”

Niles laughs, his voice low and soft. It is so unlike the one Leo heard in the alleyway. “You flatter me, miss. Pancakes are simpler than counting to ten. I can teach you sometime, if you’d like.”

This gets another blinding smile on her face. “Yay, that’d be awesome!”

An uncomfortable pang sounds in Leo’s chest. He remembers Camilla standing in the kitchen, singing for Elise while she cooked up a storm. He knows Elise must miss it.

He clears his throat to hopefully disguise his sudden discomfort. “Elise. The first thing you do when you see a stranger in your house is not ask them to make you food.”

Her reply is quick. “But he isn’t a stranger. You know him, and now I do too!” Leo doesn’t think merely knowing the man’s name and the fact that he has a mysterious past really qualifies him as more than a stranger to himself or Elise.

Niles finishes up and places the pancakes on a plate as he says, “Your blind trust is extremely refreshing, miss.” Piercing some of the pancakes with a fork, he places them on another dish in front of Elise and turns to Leo. “I’ve made more than enough for two people.”

Elise is about to bring her fork to her mouth when Leo places a hand on her arm. His eyes narrow into a weary expression but Niles laughs before he can say anything.

“You’re right to be suspicious, but I’m afraid this time your concerns are unfounded.” He takes a pancake from the stack and folds it in half, taking a bite.

Elise looks between the two of them, then says, “Leo? Can I…?”

Leo removes his hand as if stung. “Yes. Go ahead.” He knows he must be running late given the surprise distraction this morning, so he signals for Niles to follow him as he puts on his jacket.

“I’ll talk to you later, Elise. Xander will be back around six.”

The sound of Elise’s reply is muffled by a mouthful of pancake. The door closes behind Leo and Niles as they walk into the chilly autumn morning.

-

_Students in HIS113: Monday’s class has been cancelled. See you all on Wednesday. – M. Cole_

Leo reads the note taped to the door twice over, then blinks. He opens the door and sure enough, the only person inside is part of the custodial staff.

Well then.

From behind him, Niles leans forward to read the notice. Leo can feel the man’s breath on the back of his neck. “Damn. And after you had me run those red lights.”

Leo frowns. “It was only one. And there was no one else on the street.” After they had left the house, Leo checked his watch and was shocked to see it was almost time for class. The result was a speedy car ride with a few minutes left to spare.

A chatty group of students walks past Leo and Niles as the two of them head outside. Leo tosses ideas around in his head—he has no other appointments today, and he’s already well ahead in all of his classes. Xander is at work for the whole day, and Elise isn’t due home for another few hours.

Leo looks beside him, at how _strange_ Niles looks in the tailored suit (having only ever seen him in his usual filthy street wear), and at how Niles himself seems aware of this (his hands in his pockets to hide his fidgeting, and his always cautious gaze).

This is a golden opportunity, and Leo is not about to pass it up.

“Have you ever played chess before, Niles?”

-

As it turns out, he has. Quite a bit, in fact.

After leaving campus, Leo had Niles drive them to a park in the centre of town. When Leo was a child, his mother would take him there for the playgrounds. The whole area is enclosed within a red brick fence spanning several blocks. Trees line numerous pathways that all lead up to a peak offering an impressive view of the maze of buildings below.

But Leo was here for none of that. He led Niles past giggling children and flower gardens to a giant chess set nestled into a corner of the park.

He wanted to learn more about Niles, to read him like the shelves of books in his study. He wanted to dissect him, open him up and see the clockwork. And he could think of no better way to start than a battle of wits.

Niles, with his tie loosened and eyebrow raised, had said, “I was hoping you’d have a more… rousing activity for us.” Leo was about to explain the merits of a game like chess when Niles continued, “I haven’t played in a while, so try not to go too hard on me.” With a teasing smirk, he moved to the other side of the board.

Leo was in great shape, intellectually speaking (not _perfect_ shape, because he knew that was an impossibility). Which was why, with the small amount of arrogance he allows himself, he thought he would win with ease.

“Your knight is in _very_ good hands now,” Niles says in a way that would altogether be better suited for a bedroom rather than a public park. He takes the knight and places it on the pavement.

A small smile forms on Leo’s face, tinged with an excitement that he hasn’t felt in a while (Elise finds the game boring, and Xander’s free time has nosedived since taking over the company). Sure, Niles plays too defensively and missed that opportunity for a checkmate several turns ago, but having a match where Leo has to actually think is a welcome change of pace for him.

Leo is silent while he moves his rook. He says, “What do you say we make this more interesting?”

The midday sun shines overhead, the chess pieces casting shadows across the black and white board. “Oh? I’m not opposed to moving this somewhere private, with just the two of us. Get to know each other a bit more intimately.”

Leo ignores the jibe but his face still feels uncomfortably warm. “A bet. I win and you tell me whatever I wish to know about yourself. Nothing more than you’re willing to divulge, of course.”

Niles crosses his arms and Leo thinks he might have made a rare misstep. A moment passes before Niles drawls, “My, aren’t we moving a little too fast. Usually I appreciate some foreplay first before getting to the heavy stuff.” He moves his bishop to capture Leo’s pawn, and then continues, “Alright. I’ll feed your curiosity. But there has to be something in it for me.”

A breeze sifts through Leo’s hair and he feels his headband to make sure it’s in place. “Name your price.”

“That’s assuming I want money. What I desire has no monetary value.” Niles licks his lips in a manner that makes it extremely clear what he means, and Leo feels his cheeks flare. With great effort, he manages to keep a stammer out of his voice.

“I am willing to give you anything you want, within reason.”

Niles sighs, his mouth turning into something resembling a pout. It reminds Leo strangely of Elise, and he has to fight to wipe the smile off his face.

“Fine. If I win, you indulge my own curiosity. Deal?”

Leo makes his move. _One more piece down…_ He says, “I wasn’t aware you wanted to know something. You need only ask me and I will do my best to answer you.”

Niles hums as he looks over the pieces. “You are part of one of the wealthiest families in the country, rich from a company founded by your father. You live a life that most of us can only dream of.” _Clack._ The sound of Niles’s knight hitting tile punctuates his next words. “I expected someone ignorant of danger, wide-eyed and oblivious in his ivory tower. And you must be, to hire someone like me.”

Leo moves his king and waits for Niles to continue.

“But you don’t trust me. You suspect me of poisoning your food yet you hire me to keep you safe. So which is it? You obviously doubt me but here we are, on a date.”

A pause. Niles moves his piece. Leo clasps his hands behind his back, takes his time as he says, “I grew up as you said. I have not been privy to what many others—you—must no doubt experience. But living like that comes with its own uncertainties. Father was… a cruel man. Among other things, he vigorously instilled in us an overzealous sense for our own safety. Unfortunately it did not keep us safe in our own home.” He moves a piece. “Against all my better instincts, I do trust you. Sadly my father’s influence is hard to shake—I have never slept with both eyes closed, so to speak.”

Niles’s eye closes for a moment as if in thought. When he opens it, he moves his rook. “Well. I apologize for pushing you.” His voice lowers so that Leo can barely hear it across the chessboard. “Living on the streets, you don’t get much of a good night’s sleep either.”

Leo moves his bishop. “I’m sor—“ He bites his tongue. Niles doesn’t need his sympathy. Leo takes a deep breath, then continues, “For how long?”

Niles inspects the board and smiles. Leo realizes his mistake too late. His bishop is captured, and Niles says as if discussing the weather, “Since I was a child, really. My earliest memories are of my parents leaving me. Since then I’ve been doing whatever I can to live to see the next day.” He moves his knight, leaving his queen exposed. “I’m sure you can think of a few things I’ve had to do.”

Leo cannot look at Niles, unable to even comprehend a life so foreign and unfamiliar. He keeps his gaze on the chessboard, its familiarity a calming presence. He forces himself to breathe a shallow breath and takes the opportunity presented to him.

Niles’s queen is removed from the board. A sly grin is back on his face. “So? What else would you like to know?”

Two strangers set up the board for a new match. Leo looks Niles in the eye and says, “You’ve told me enough.”

-

Niles becomes a fixture in Leo’s life.

Leo isn’t sure when it happens, only that he soon comes to expect and even look forward to Niles’s time on the job. After the first month in which Leo was sure Niles was waiting to be let go anytime, the man started staying at Leo’s house more frequently after a day’s work. He discovered that Niles maintained a healthy interest in classic literature, even if he hadn’t previously read many in their entirety. He also discovered that Niles preferred to listen to the stories rather than read them himself.

Which is why Leo now finds himself reading aloud from _Les Misérables_.

Leo looks over the book to observe Niles who is lying on the couch with his feet over the armrest, eye closed and seemingly asleep.

The table lamp beside Leo is the only source of light in the room. Its yellow glow lightens the dark red wood of the walls, creating a warmth that is accompanied by the sounds of pages rustling and Leo’s soft voice. He is mid-sentence when Elise bursts in.

“Leo, Xander’s back! He brought some of that beef and tomato stew you love so much.” Seeing Leo’s companion, she adds, “Hi, Niles! You should stay for dinner; we always have way too much food.”

Leo uses a bookmark to save his place and puts the novel on his desk. “You know you need to knock first before entering, Elise.”

She sticks her tongue out at him. “Yeah, yeah. Now hurry up before it gets cold.” She exits, leaving the door open behind her. The light from the hallway floods the room.

“She’s not wrong, you know. I’m sure Xander and Elise will be more than happy to have a guest.” Xander prefers to reserve the home for solely family and so never brings business associates over, while Elise always visits her friends instead. The last time the fourth seat was occupied was the night before Camilla’s departure.

Leo feels Niles’s gaze on him as he stands and places the book back on the shelf. “And you, sir?”

He turns the lamp off, his fingers lingering on the pull switch. Niles’s form on the sofa is cloaked in shadow.

“I would love it.”

-

“And Leo’s face looked like a tomato! I don’t think I’ve ever seen a brighter red.”

Leo is pretty sure he’s turning a similar shade right now, with Niles’s laughter and even Xander’s quiet chuckles. “I-I was tired. And it didn’t help that you decided to tell me only after I gave a speech to my entire class.”

Elise has the decency to look slightly ashamed. “I tried to, but you were so focused. Besides, it made everyone laugh!”

“Usually having people laugh _at_ you is not a good thing.”

Another round of snickering erupts at the table, and Leo covers his mouth to hide his yawn. They had sat down to eat supper hours ago. At first conversation was stiff and forced—apparently Xander actually wasn’t too happy about having a guest in their house. Leo was about to give up on making awkward small talk (really, he wasn’t any good at it anyway) when Elise somehow caught wind of his distress and with a brilliant smile launched into a particularly embarrassing story of Leo’s, followed by many more. Xander had cracked a smile at the memories and offered his own take on events, while Niles looked terribly amused and asked for more details. Leo wrestled with thanking Elise for her ability to defuse situations or reprimanding her for her choice of material. He settled for gratitude.

Noticing Leo’s fatigue, Niles says, “Maybe it would be best for you to get some rest, sir.”

Xander pushes his chair back and says, “Yes, it is getting late. I have an early meeting with Hoshido Inc. tomorrow, and they don’t tolerate latecomers.” He stands up and brings his dishes to the kitchen. The faucet turns on and he has to call out to be heard over the water. “I expect you in bed within the hour, Elise.”

Her response (“Awww!”) trails behind her as she brings Xander more of the plates. Leo sees Niles with a complacent smile on his face and asks, “What is it?”

“Nothing, sir. I am just not used to this.”

Leo’s brow furrows. “‘This?’”

“…A family.” Niles gestures to the kitchen through which Elise’s giggling and Xander’s placid voice can still be heard. “It’s strange. I’ve never thought much about having one… or not having one, as the case may be.”

Not for the first time in his life, Leo kicks himself for not knowing what to say. “Niles, I—If you would like to talk about it…”

Niles leans back in his chair, his arms crossed over his chest. He looks Leo in the eye and his gaze is unflagging. “There is not much else to say. I have had nobody I could call a family for as long as I can remember—only those who would stab you in the back while you weren’t looking.”

Growing up, Leo had been primed to be distrustful and weary—of his own father. But he has always had Xander, Camilla, and Elise to rely on.

“I can’t even imagine…”

“And I’m glad you can’t, sir.” Niles rises from his chair. The windows behind him frame the ice-covered street and the falling snow. “I should leave now. I’ll be here tomorrow at six.”

Leo follows Niles to the front door. He wants to say something, but it is only when Niles opens the door that he finds the words.

“Stay the night.”

Niles turns to face him, and there is something in his eye that Leo can’t quite place. “Sir, I would only be intruding. If you have no reason for me to be here, I must take my leave.”

The biting chill coming in from the open door seeps into Leo’s skin despite his sweater. “It is far too cold outside for anyone to be wandering around. We have several spare rooms—you will not be intruding by occupying one of them.”

He can still feel resistance in Niles’s fisted hands hidden in his trouser pockets and in the clenching of his jaw. So Leo continues:

“This is an order, Niles.”

A beat of silence. Then:

“As you wish, sir.”

-

It took a while to get Niles settled in. He had nothing with him, of course, and none of Leo’s things were big enough; Xander had to lend Niles something to sleep in. Luckily the unused bedrooms were fully furnished.

“Caesar’s performance at Alesia is just one classic example of siege warfare…”

Leo reads the words quietly to himself by the dim light on his bedside table. However, his earlier exhaustion makes itself clear and he stifles a yawn. He rubs his eyes as he turns off the light and prepares to sleep.

His eyes open wide sometime later. An hour? Two hours? He reaches for the clock on his table. In the darkness, it reads 3:25. Turning onto his side, he tries to get back to sleep. Why had he woken up in the first place? He begins to drift off again when he hears it.

Someone’s voice.

Leo cautiously creeps to the door and presses his ear against it. From this close, it sounds like hushed protests and soft whispers.

There is only one voice.

The door opens silently without a creak. The only light in the hall is from the streetlights outside the windows. He walks slowly and quietly toward the noise and comes to a stop outside of Niles’s room. He decides against knocking and pushes the door open.

The bed is a mess, with pillows tossed around and half the covers on the floor. Underneath the covers is Niles, curled up in a ball and issuing a never-ending stream of faint objections laced with distress.

Seeing the man like this, Leo’s blood runs cold and fear snakes into his body.

He closes the door behind him and heads toward the bed. Laying a hand on Niles’s shoulder, he gently shakes him and calls his name. When Niles doesn’t wake, he shakes him harder and his voice becomes urgent.

Niles finally sits up violently as the covers pool around his waist. Leo can see a sheen of sweat covering Niles, soaked up by the sheets. His breathing is heavy and his hands grip the covers.

Leo sits down on the bed. The room is pitch black, but his eyes have adjusted to the darkness. He can make out Niles’s features and the outline of his body, hunched and vulnerable. He says, “Niles, it’s me. Are you alright? If you need anything…”

He is met with the sound of shallow breathing. Unsettled, he places a hand on Niles’s shoulder once more. “Niles, say something. I need to know you’re okay.” He receives a small nod.

“I’ll be back with some water.” He makes to rise, but a hand shoots out and grabs his arm.

When Niles speaks, his voice trembles. “No, just… just stay here. Please.”

Leo stays where he is, uncertain of what to do. He used to comfort Elise after her nightmares but he has a feeling this is completely different from childhood fears of the boogeyman.

Niles’s hand moves to hold Leo’s, his touch hesitant. Leo holds Niles’s hand in between both of his own. He hopes to offer at least some modicum of comfort. He doesn’t want to push, and so Leo remains quiet until Niles speaks again.

“I have… the same dream sometimes. It’s always the same one from years ago. The same man and the same flash of pain as he—“ His eye closes in an effort to stop his tears.

Leo shifts closer, tucking his legs underneath him. Their faces are inches apart. “You don’t need to say any more. Not if it hurts you like this.”

Niles raises his gaze to rest on Leo. His face is wet with tear tracks. “Sir—“

“‘Leo.’ There is no need to be so formal.”

“L-Leo. I apologize… you didn’t need to know about this part of my life.”

Leo’s voice is firm. “Your apology is unwarranted, Niles. There is nothing wrong with letting me know about your past.”

Niles doesn’t respond, only takes a deep breath in order to even out his breathing. Leo hesitates for a moment before moving a hand to gently card through Niles’s hair; he remembers how much Elise used to like it. Niles seems to as well—he leans forward into Leo’s touch.

Leo is so close to Niles that he can feel the man’s steady breathing hot on his face. His other hand reaches up to trace the path of a tear, down Niles’s cheekbone and his chin. Niles watches him, surprised and questioning.

“Sir—“

Leo places a finger on Niles’s mouth, silencing him. “Just ‘Leo,’ Niles.” His thumb runs along Niles’s lips, tracing the rough skin there. And the next moment—Leo is sure he mustn’t be in full control of himself—he leans up to meet Niles’s mouth with his own.

The kiss is slow and not all that comfortable, and Leo’s mind is overflowing ( _Another terrible idea, he is in no condition for this, what are you thinking?_ ) but when they break apart Niles leans in and Leo returns the kiss. He touches Niles as if he is glass and might break under his fingertips. He knows Niles needs comfort right now but he isn’t sure this is the right way to go about it. Yet he doesn’t put a stop to it, and he shivers under Niles’s hands and wraps his arms around the man’s neck. Niles’s eyes are still damp when he comes, his whispers of Leo’s name vanishing into the darkness.

-

Things change after that.

A line is crossed, and Leo no longer thinks of Niles as an employee. The room Niles spent his first night in has now unofficially become his. Elise welcomed him with open arms while Xander submitted with a great deal of reluctance. Often Niles would stay in Leo’s room, reading books and talking around the fireplace. Other times Leo would go to Niles’s room, taking turns with the telescope on the balcony.

As embarrassing as it is to admit, Niles is Leo’s first real friend. It takes Leo some time to get used to the idea.

It also takes time for him to get used to the nights they spend between the sheets, to the physical contact and to the idea of being with someone.

He doesn’t know if he is in love. He prefers not to think about it.

A couple of months pass and the year ends. Winter reaches its peak in a blizzard that envelops the entire city. Leo is at the top of each of his classes and has no intentions of slowing down.

Xander’s schedule becomes even more hectic. When he finally comes back he immediately goes to bed only to wake up and leave the next morning. Leo wonders if Xander has a new client, or if something’s happening with the company.

He finds out a week later.

-

“This assignment will be worth forty percent of your grade. Pay special attention to the formatting of your paper. Failure to do so will result in a penalty…”

From his seat at the front of the class, Leo listens to the professor’s droning voice. He is concentrating so hard on the instructions being given to him that it takes him a moment to realize his bag is vibrating.

The professor stops her lecture. “If you must use your phone, please do so outside.”

Leo takes his cell and steps out of the classroom. Niles looks up from his book and shoots him a confused glance. The screen lights up to display one missed call, but before Leo can do anything his phone shakes again.

“Xander? What’s wrong?”

Leo hears breathing on the other end of the line, as if Xander is preparing to say something. He waits.

“Father is dead.”

-

Xander later tells him their father’s health has been rapidly declining during his stay at the care facility. And really, Leo isn’t surprised his life has ended.

Still. It comes as a shock.

“Leo, I’m so sorry. I should’ve been there for you and Elise.” Camilla takes him into a hug. He finds solace in the lavender scent of her hair, a soothing presence that since childhood has always been a comfort. He returns the embrace.

“No, no one can blame you for leaving.”

She sighs. “I’m happy you think that, but… I must’ve missed a lot. You’ve both grown so much.” Her arms tighten and tears spring from her eyes, staining Leo’s suit.

After receiving Xander’s phone call, Camilla had booked a ticket for the first flight back the next day. She had left years ago to escape their father and she was now returning for his funeral. Leo suspects she is here more for her siblings than her father.

Visitors mill about in the centre of the room. They are all contacts of the company, dressed in designer clothes with their heads held high. Xander greets each of them in turn, and they all give their condolences for this completely unfortunate event.

Leo doesn’t want to be anywhere near them or his father’s body. But he forces himself to stay.

Niles clears his throat. “Excuse me, sir. The ceremony is starting.”

Leo extricates himself from Camilla’s arms. He produces a handkerchief from his pocket and hands it to her. “Come, Camilla. The sooner we get this over with, the better.”

The service passes without fanfare. When his turn comes to pay his respects, he steps forward and looks into the casket. His father’s white hair is settled around his face. Leo tries to dredge up recollections of the man he used to know, but they are buried underneath memories of slamming doors and broken glass.

His face is a veil as he says, “I thank you all for coming here today. We have surely lost a great man and a loving father. I am sure he would be honored to know everyone here has him in their thoughts.”

After the ceremony, in a secluded corner where the muttering of guests becomes a low hum, Niles offers him his hand. Leo takes it and rests his head on Niles’s shoulder. The fingers on his back and the warmth in his hand are an anchor, and he lets his mask slip.

-

Soon after, they meet with the executor of their father’s will.

Leo has a seat in front of the desk in the centre of the room. Beside him is Xander in an identical plush armchair, with Camilla on the sofa against the wall. Elise is at school, but Leo knows she wouldn’t want to be here anyway.

The man sitting at the desk pushes up his glasses for the tenth time. Behind him is a picture of a waterfall that Leo thinks he has seen on the walls of one of Nohr Corp.’s offices.

“And here we have the beneficiaries of your father’s assets and estates.” He brings the documents closer to his face and has to squint to read the words. Leo wants to hand him a magnifying glass.

“As a wealthy man, your father has quite a lot to distribute.” He _mhmm_ ’s and _ahh_ ’s for a bit before continuing, “His real estate is to be bequeathed to the four of you to be divided as you like, along with any personal effects—artwork, family heirlooms, valuable jewelry, etcetera.”

The man flips the page and starts scanning it. Leo, Xander, and Camilla remain silent while he takes a sip of water from the glass on his desk.

“Yes, yes… I see, I see. Ah, here we are. He has decided to leave each of you with twenty percent of the total in all of his bank accounts and investments. Of course your youngest sibling will only gain full control of her share when she is of age.”

Leo pauses and turns to look at Xander. Twenty percent? _But that means—_

He knows the others are thinking the same thing; Camilla sits up straighter and Xander opens his mouth to speak.

“Who is entitled to the rest?” It is not an issue of money, but their mother had passed long ago and they know of no one else their father might bequeath his possessions to. _Who…_

The man places the papers on the desk and pushes them toward Xander. He taps a name typed on the document. “I assume you don’t know this ‘Corrin?’”

-

Leo has never known a ‘Corrin,’ nor has he ever seen the name. But for the next week it is all he hears.

They sat Elise down when she came home that day—she must have sensed something was wrong, because she was quiet when they explained to her, _We have another sibling._

She takes it well and is even excited about meeting another member of their family. Camilla also seems to take it in stride, but Leo sees light coming from her room until late at night and dark shadows under her eyes the next morning. Xander is, as always, stoic and aloof. His increasing sternness even to Elise is the only sign that it has affected him at all.

Leo has always been aware of his father’s infidelity, marked by long absences and a foreign pair of shoes at the front door. Even as a child, it was hard to ignore his mother locking herself in the bathroom and turning on the sink while she cried.

He did not know that these affairs ever produced anything, that they created undeniable evidence of their existence.

He doesn’t believe it at first. Even now, he doesn’t. Corrin is supposed to be a few years older than him and living somewhere close by.

It’s not that Leo _refuses_ to believe. He just _can’t._

Even though his father was a monster, Leo doesn’t know why he doesn’t believe him capable of keeping up a lie for so long.

Xander manages to locate Corrin with minimal effort. Their meeting can go wrong in so many different ways (Does Corrin know about them? What kind of a person is he?) and Leo would prefer never having to see him, but Xander receives a cordial response in return expressing curiosity. Today—a month later—Corrin is set to take a train into town to settle the will as well as to meet the children of his father that were kept a secret from him for his entire life.

“Leo.”

“What is it, Niles?”

An amused smile appears on Niles’s face. “You may want to stop pacing before you wear a hole in the floor, sir.”

Leo stops moving and places his arms behind his back. “Ah, yes. You’re right. Thank you.”

Niles chuckles as he leans against the wall. Xander and Camilla had left to pick up Corrin from the station an hour ago (Elise wanted to go, but his train arrived during school hours). Leo had elected to wait at the house for them.

Part of him still doesn’t think this is actually happening. His hands are oddly sweaty and he can’t stop tapping out a pattern on his palm and—

“Leo.” He looks up at hearing his name again. Niles steps forward and places a hand on Leo’s shoulder, gently guiding him to the bed. Leo sits down and Niles joins him.

Leo’s gaze falls to the floor and the carpet underneath his feet. He says quietly, “I don’t know if I can accept him as my brother.”

Niles reaches out to flatten some wrinkles in Leo’s shirt and straighten his tie. “You don’t need to, sir. You do not even have to meet him, if you would like.”

Leo takes a deep breath. “…No, I need to. I cannot run from this.” Niles’s hands linger on Leo’s tie and Leo places his own hands over them. He thinks it is strange how he finds relief in the man’s touch.

Niles leans forward slowly, giving Leo ample opportunity to back out. Instead, Leo meets him halfway. The kiss is slow and soft and despite months, still hesitant.

Suddenly the sound of the front door opening cuts them apart. Leo heads downstairs with Niles shadowing him.

Xander walks in first, followed by a young man with pale gray hair. His smile is sincere and his voice is kind, the low tone gentle and calm. He pauses in his discussion with Camilla and says:

“Nice to meet you, Leo.”

All at once a wave of red hot anger washes over Leo, blinding him and making him clench his fists. Standing in his house is proof of his father’s offenses, a cold hard testament to the fact that his father had torn the lives of his mother and siblings apart and left them to pick up the pieces. He is unable to see nothing but the years of his childhood he thought he has long since laid to rest.

And that, even more than his memories, scares him. The total and utter loss of control over his emotions, his senses, shakes him and leaves him reeling.

Before anyone can grow concerned, Leo gathers himself and offers a hand.

“You must be Corrin.”

-

For the third time in five months, the house gains another occupant. Thankfully there is more than enough space for all of them.

For the duration of the long and arduous process of working through the will, Xander offers Corrin a place to stay. When Leo confronts him about it (because letting this stranger live with them in their house, despite any blood relation, is alarming), he simply says, “He has no place to stay. We will help him during his time in this city for as long as he needs it.” He uses the same firm voice he uses for business negotiations, leaving no room for argument.

Leo copes with it. He tries to reason with himself. He tries to be more like Elise (who has never really known their father) or Camilla (who has known him but recuperated). He tries to tell himself that Corrin bears no blame.

As it is, Leo is only capable of stiff formality and strained conversation. While Elise talks Corrin’s ear off and Camilla gets to know him, Leo retreats into his room and Niles’s company.

Everyone around him is adjusting far too well and it needles him. He becomes increasingly irritable as the weeks wear on; he is bothered by the large role Corrin seems to have taken on in the household and he is annoyed by his own irrationality. He hates the illogical state he has devolved into, able to see his lapses in judgement but unable to take hold of them.

“‘I have something better than that,’ Monte Cristo replied. ‘I have a slave. You hire your mistresses. I bought mine in Constantinople. She was more expensive, but I have no worries.’”

His relationship with Niles is the only place he feels any semblance of control.

Leo continues reading aloud from his bed while Niles stokes the fire. The crackling of the flames wraps around Leo’s words, softening them.

After finishing, Niles waits for Leo to pause then asks, “Is there anything else, sir?”

Leo gestures toward the chair near his bed. “Take a seat. We can’t have you listening to me from that distance.”

Niles does so, and they fall into the usual pattern. Leo has already read _The Count of Monte Cristo_ , but sharing the adventure with someone makes it a completely different experience.

The moon is at its highest point and the house is sleeping when Niles yawns. Leo knows the man is tired but he doesn’t want to be alone, left to his thoughts.

So he shuts the book and reaches out.

Niles’s lips are dry and scratch against his ear. His breath is warm on his cheek, hands cold on his skin. By now, the hard lines of his frame and the scars marking his body have become familiar. Leo traces the marks on his skin, eliciting a shudder.

Leo gently pushes Niles into the bed, his legs straddling his hips and a hand splayed on his chest. A desperation he has never felt before overcomes him. He tries to disguise his wince of pain as he hurries to prepares himself, but Niles must notice because he says, “L-Leo—“

He cuts Niles off with a shake of the head, and even though it hurts and he isn’t ready, he lowers himself onto Niles’s cock.

The sex is frantic, violent and fast. His fingertips dig into Niles and draws blood. It is pain more than pleasure, but Leo delights in the way he can take command of Niles’s body, drawing out short gasps and quiet murmurs with a certain touch or movement of the hips.

It makes Leo feel like himself again, potent and capable.

They clean up after finishing. Niles leaves him with a _Good night, Leo_ and shuts the door behind him with a small click.

-

Niles starts avoiding him after that.

He is as proficient at his job as ever and still courteous toward Leo, but the hands fixing his clothes and smoothing his hair linger for no longer than necessary. He grows distant; the only time being spent with Leo is for his professional duties.

Leo doesn’t know where Niles goes and he doesn’t ask. Even though Leo sorely misses the company, he doesn’t reach out to him. He doesn’t know if he wants to.

-

He wakes up one night a couple of weeks later with a dry throat.

His room is dark, with the fireplace unlit and the lights switched off. He sits up and gets out of bed.

The door opens without a sound. He walks through the hallway and pauses in front of Niles’s room. He can see a faint light pouring out from underneath the door. He wonders if Niles is unable to sleep, but he does not knock. Instead, he heads downstairs and catches sight of the bright kitchen lights.

“Oh, Leo! I didn’t know you were awake.”

Leo stops in the doorway. Corrin sits at the table, some papers in front of him and a cup in his hand.

His tiredness triumphs over any kind of animosity Leo holds, and he says a short hello before grabbing a glass from a cabinet.

Corrin’s voice is hesitant as he says, “I was hoping I could talk to you.”

Leo’s hand pauses over the faucet. They had never really exchanged words before beyond a few pleasantries. He knows he appears rude (as his siblings so graciously remind him, and really, he can’t blame them), but his flagging resentment still occupies space in his mind and he hasn’t quite conquered it yet.

“Of course.” He fills his glass and sits at the table. Corrin offers him a smile; the corners of his eyes crinkle and he seems genuinely happy to see Leo. Leo thinks, _How can he greet me like this? How can he think of a stranger as family?_

Corrin places his cup on the table and neatens the papers into a short stack. “I wanted to let you know first that I’m moving out at the end of the month.”

“What? Why?” Although Leo hasn’t made any progress with him, he knows his siblings have. He knows they will be sad to see him go.

“Everyone here is lovely. You, Elise, Camilla, and Xander. You’ve all treated me like family even though you didn’t have to, and I’m so grateful for that.” Even though his voice is quiet, Leo sees resolve in his eyes. “It’s just… I’m not used to having a family like this. I thought when I met all of you that I would feel…”

For the first time, Leo sees him in a new light. He doesn’t know if Corrin’s ever revealed this side of himself, or if he just hasn’t been paying attention. He continues for Corrin:

“Anything. You thought you would feel something, but we were people you had just met and therefore felt nothing for.” His tone is calm and cool, devoid of offense or anything accusatory.

Corrin smiles slightly in relief as if a weight has been removed from his shoulders. “Yes. I’m sorry. Although I feel like this now, I truly hope I’ll be able to think of you as family one day. For now… I need to stop imposing on you and sort things out for myself.”

Leo rubs his thumb over his glass. He thinks for a moment, then asks, “Where? And why did you want to tell me first?”

“Not far—just in a different part of town. It’s closer to my school too, so it works out.” He grins at Leo and continues, “I wanted to tell you because I thought you’d take it the easiest.”

Leo actually laughs at that, a short chuckle that surprises even himself. “You’d be right about that.”

A bit later after Leo washes out his glass and prepares to leave, he turns to Corrin and says, “I hope we can be a family some day, too.” And he means it.

-

Leo is knee-deep in final projects and papers when Xander announces his departure.

He sits Camilla, Leo and Elise down one morning. Niles is off for the day and so is out of the house.

It is to be at the very least a five-year stint on the opposite side of the world. A joint venture had been arranged between Nohr Corp. and Hoshido Inc., and Xander was to leave to oversee the creation of the new project.

Elise cries when she hears the news while Camilla offers her sweet words of comfort. Leo feels a spark of anger, even if only for Elise’s sake—it is bad enough for her not being able to see her sister often, but her oldest brother as well? Xander tells them that this was the only reasonable option and the smartest move financially.

With Corrin already gone and Xander’s news, the house starts to feel enormous.

-

“Your tea is getting cold, sir.”

Leo pauses in his studying to take a sip from his mug and sure enough, it is tepid.

The curtains on the large windows in the study are opened to let in the bright light. Despite the sun shining in, the unseasonable cold of the spring afternoon leaks into the house and causes him to shiver.

Niles is on him in an instant, taking the shawl from the sofa and draping it over him. It is the first time they have made contact in weeks.

Before Niles can withdraw, Leo calls his name.

Leo knows he should have done something earlier, whether it be inquiring after Niles’s well-being or just simply talking to him. At the very least, he wants to act like the friend he once was.

So he stands to face Niles and says the first thing that comes to mind: “I apologize.”

Niles doesn’t say anything so Leo pushes on. He voices everything he knows he should have said but hasn’t. “I… wasn’t myself. I felt powerless and weak then, except when I was with you. I apologize for using you for my own selfish gain.”

Leo holds his breath while he waits for Niles’s reaction, hoping for his apology to be accepted. A moment passes and Niles’s mouth curves into a small smile.

“I appreciate it, Leo. I thank you for telling me that. It means more to me than you know.”

His smile fades as he goes on. “I must also express gratitude for all you’ve done for me. Even now I look back on the day we met as the day I became a different person, and it’s all because of you.”

“Niles? I am flattered you think of me like that, but where is this coming from?”

Niles hesitates, uncertainty halting his next words. His hair looks silver in the sunlight, bright and as beautiful as the scars Leo has run his fingertips over numerous times, smooth and rough and a patchwork embedded on skin. He says:

“I am sorry, Leo. I can’t live here like this… not while I still love you.” 

Leo thinks he should be surprised, but somehow he has always known. Still, his voice is hollow and he feels numb when he asks, “Where are you going?”

“Corrin has given me some place to stay. It is temporary, but it will suffice.”

Leo doesn’t even remember ever seeing Niles and Corrin speak to each other, but he is in no place to interfere. He fights past the growing sense of loss and finality in his gut (twisting like a knife) and nods. Fondness for the man overflows within himself and regret eats at his heart as he says:

“I wouldn’t wish for anything but the best for you, Niles. Thank you. For everything.”

-

Xander and Camilla leave the day after Leo’s last exam.

Camilla’s flight is first. She hugs each of them in turn, and when she gets to Leo she says, “I know you can take care of yourself, and I know Elise can too. But please be careful and let me know right away if you need anything! Even if you just need me to rock you to sleep, I’ll hop on the first plane back.”

He sighs. “Yes, Camilla.” She wraps her arms around him and he wonders when he will see her next. He wants to ask her to stay but he quells the thought.

Xander doesn’t board for another two hours, so they have a quick meal. Elise keeps up a brave face but her eyes are glassy and wet. When the time comes for him to leave, she latches on to him and buries her face in his shirt as he kisses her forehead.

She eventually lets go long enough for him to embrace Leo as Camilla had done. Xander tells him, “This is a tough situation for all of us, but you have always been a diligent and dedicated young man and I have no doubt you will be able to manage.” Xander pulls back to look him in the eye. “Take care, Leo.”

After he leaves, Leo and Elise watch his plane until it is swallowed by the clouds.

-

The house is silent.

Leo tries to concentrate on his book, but the utter quiet burrows into him and makes any task impossible. Instead, he puts the book back and leaves the room.

Every door he passes in the hallway is open and the rooms empty of life. He keeps going until he reaches the only closed door. He knocks and says, “Elise? Can I come in?”

He earns a muffled response in return, so he turns the knob and walks in. She is sitting on her bed and holding a framed photo in her hands. He doesn’t need to look to know what the photo is of.

He heads to her bed and sits beside her. They both don’t say a word, but they each find comfort in the other’s presence.

Finally Leo says, “I hear there’s a great ice cream place nearby. It just opened. What do you say we have dessert for dinner?”

Elise wrinkles her nose, her grin clashing with the red of her eyes. “That’s gross, Leo. But I don’t mind, as long as we get heaps and heaps of strawberry ice cream.”

Leo smiles back and stands up as he offers her his hand. They step out onto the busy street, leaving the stillness of the house behind them.

**Author's Note:**

> Although this is stand-alone, I'm thinking of doing a continuation with a different Leo pairing. Whether or not it actually comes to fruition though is to be determined, so...
> 
> An aside: the altered quote from "Monte Cristo" is taken from my unread Penguin Classics edition of the novel. I didn't remember having it until I wrote this.


End file.
